Columbia forest

Midgeley, BC (Photo by Steve Ogle)

The Columbia forest region occurs in the wet belt of southeastern BC, between the central plateau and the Rocky Mountains. This forest region occurs at lower elevations along river valleys and is interspersed with subalpine forests. This region is drier than the coast region but has greater snowmelt to supply the forest with ample moisture. As a result, there is much overlap between the tree species in these two regions, though the Columbia forest has slightly fewer species. Characteristic wildlife include grizzly and black bear, woodland caribou and mountain goat.

What trees are found in the Columbia forest?

Characteristic trees include:

• Douglas-fir
• western hemlock
• western red cedar

What is NCC doing to help protect this habitat?

NCC has protected the Midgeley Conservation Area, an important wildlife corridor located in southeastern British Columbia.